Build your own Routemaster bus

Another of those model magazine series is launching today, but this is the first to hold an official license from TfL.

The weekly magazine, published by Hachette Partworks, and licensed through TfL’s brand licensing partner TSBA, goes on sale today.

In addition to slowly, and expensively, building a model bus, each issue includes more about the history of buses and transport across the Capital since the early 1800s to modern times.

The bus, RM857, was originally built in July 1961 and is based precisely on the look of the bus when it operated along route 11 in 1966. It is now privately owned and regularly features at vintage transport events across the UK.

Trevor Wright, a Test Train Operator for London Underground who owns the actual RM857 bus, said: “As a current employee of Transport for London, it was a great honour to have my Routemaster bus represented in this new magazine. The model of this world famous vehicle, in London Transport red livery, is fantastically detailed and shows this design classic at its best.”

TSBA are paid through a percentage of royalties from licensing deals they negotiate rather than from payment from TfL. It’s expected that the model/magazine will be particularly popular with overseas markets.

For those who are wondering, there will be 130 issues of the magazine — which works out at a total cost of £1157.70 to build the model. Although it’s quite a large model.

I can’t afford this model, but I would say one thing in defence of the makers – £1157 is a lot of money, but if you went to a professional model maker and asked for 1:12 RM model, it would cost considerably more. Perhaps if they were more ‘upfront’ about the price it would be more encouraging !

Hi Ernie, i do agree with you. Having one scratch built makes it unique, however these parts are mass produced by machines & and the builder only screws the parts togeather. This when completed will be a nice looking model and big at 699mm long & 365mm high but at 0ver £1100 and the waiting time to complete, the price dont justify it. Im sure if this was available in model shops it would be someware around 5 to £600

I too have bought the first instalment and enjoyed making the first part of the bonnet.Until instalment 2 I was under the impression that it came in nine issues not 130 what made me think that I do not know especially as my newsagent said that these kits usually take ages to complete and cost a fortune as the price goes up dramatically after the first issue this is the reason he does not normally stock them.The future of this project is now in doubt.

The Sunstar RMs generally go for around the £200 mark these days – some more, some less. They are excellent diecast models. But, big though they are, they are only 1/8th the size of this model. I really don’t think that people here have got their minds around the size and promised quality of this model – and no, it’s certainly not for everyone.

I bought issues 1-2. Tiny screw broke off on the strips and the light guard would not fit properly. This is a beautiful model if anyone is lucky to get decent parts, but with my bad luck, I’ll give it a wide berth. PS: It is not worth the cost, as gorgeous as the final model is. I’d have paid £600 max, and even that is reaching.

just got part 3 ( the stairs ) ALL PLASTIC, Very disappointed considering what this will cost at the end. Just cancelled my order with newsagent. How much more will be plastic? The seat, floor? cant find any info anywere.

Is any one having trouble with deliveries I received issues 19 to 22 waited a month for the next 4 only to receive 27 to 30. Am now missing 23 to 26. Have sent email a week ago and have had no response

Yes – precisely – a great model but people don’t realise when they start out that it will cost so much and drop out after a few issues – that’s how people like this make their money. All right if money (and time) is no object.

I got caught in South Africa with a similar promotion to build a scale model of a German Tiger Tank. Took me two years with similar cost promotion (Cheap 1st issue and then the shock to follow) Anyway I persevered and completed the tank. I can say one thing and that is that the machined metal parts are precision made and very authentic giving one a real insight as to the working parts etc. Sadly no youngsters build models these days which takes patience and skill. i would love to build this bus model but sadly as a pensioner the cost is ridiculous and way out of my budget. Youngsters would rather spend that money on an ID pad or some electronic gadget !!!!

I’m also a pensioner living in SA and currently building the Routemaster. As I don’t smoke or drink so its money well spent. Not that I’m saying that theirs something wrong with smokers or drinking. Agree though that at our rate of exchange its roughly ZA 15,000.

This idea started with the Aston Martin DB5 1/8 scale. Takes an age to collect the parts, and you can’t start the build until you’ve got them all. My advice is to either wait until someone has built his own, and has no room to display it, and sells it on Ebay, or buy a large diecast model, factory built, for £100 or less.

Have noticed how the price of £8.99 displays for no more than 4 seconds in the top right corner of the screen towards the end of the advert, just before 1.99 for the first issue is proudly highlighted.

This is nothing new, they’ve done these sort of ‘enterprises’ for years. We’ve all had our fingers burnt in the past. It’s the same with Panini stickers where certain cards won’t be released so kids carry on buying in the hope they get one they need but they never do.

There have been loads of these adverts before. All at 99p for the first issue etc.It is only when you watch the ad a few times do you see the catch. Why not go to a good model shop and see what they can do for you? One upfront payment (a lot less than a grand i’m sure) and no missing parts because you were on holiday and missed an issue.

I did an Aston Martin a few years ago and if u do miss an issue you can always order them from the agents who keep back issues for a year or so though I agree the full price of the bus is way over the top

Revell do a fantastic 1/24 scale model for £29.99. Yes you have to build and paint it your self but done well it looks just as good as this absolute rip off. Day light bloody robbery. If it was £1.99 per issue then they would sell a few more issues and still turn a profit.

I have just looked at their own website and if you buy it direct online from them as a subscription you get an issue free plus 5 gifts, and, one of the 5 gifts is a diecast model ( complete ) with issue 9 – So! Those of you who really really want it – Subscribe up to the ninth issue and then cancel your subscription ( It’s a smaller model and you won’t have the fun and pleasure of building it but then, you’ll the pleasure of all that money staying in your back pocket! ).

It would be better if you could buy all the model in one go and only the model without all 130 magazines that come with it. The model could then come down to a more realistic price rather than the grossly inflated one it is at present. I tried it, they said no.

I was really excited by the advert on telly – a project during the dark, winter evenings – but I could buy a little run about car for £1,161.70. I can’t believe the publishers think that anyone is going to say the course of a 130 part work.

Someone mentioned £1157 after all it is a big bus, at that price I would expect it to start taking bloody fares for that sort of Wonga, I imagine the publisher having sleepless nights having to sell the first one at £1.99

Far to expensive, take a close look at the model and you can see lots and lots of small screws which hold it together so it looks awful. Buy a sun star one for at least one tenth of the £1157 and you don’t have to wait over 2 years to get it.

Trading Standards have NOT abided by their own rules of transparency . The briefly displayed amount of £8.99 for 130 issues (not displayed as weekly /monthly )breaches their code of ethics ,as it is not obviously visible for the 4 seconds it is on screen, unless you know where to look Transport for London should be ashamed for supporting such a scheme, it brings their name into disrepute.

DeAgostini have been doing this for years,but they are more up front. Still rediculasly expensive though. Senna’s F1 car, 20 months @ £40 or £699 for the kit. This bus deal has to be iffy? What happens when you have been paying for say one year then it all stops,firm go one bust or what ever.

I missed the advert on TV but bought the first issue in WHS. It looked great and well worth adding to my collection of die-casts and books. Imagine my surprise when I realised it would cost me £35 per 4 issues per month for a total of 130 issues.

It may be a great model but not worth that, I would rather spend money on the Canadian model buses currently being advertised.

I’m rather glad to say that I am building my own 1/10 scale London Routemaster c/w lights, upholstered seating etc. The biggest expense to date has been the wheels and axles. You just have to think outside the box on this one. Ah… the smell and feel of those rubber tires. Photo’s of the build are on my website. Have fun.

Well, having read all the small print on the various RM model adverts and its site and done the calculations, i have subscribed to this model. I know exactly what the costs are and the time frame to complete. The howls and protestations from many of the above contributors about the price is understandable, but my simple reasoning is that £34 per month is a managable expenditure to end up with what looks like a stunning model. The fact that it is backed by TfL gives me the assurance of quality and I’m up to part 6 and all seems OK, the parts are well made, well packed and the various parts compleated look awesome. Someone commented that the stairs were plastic, correct, did they mention that the front bonnet is solid metal and the etched grill on the radiator surround is a super bit of modelling? The front wing and its engine inspection flap are solid metal as well. Parts 5 & 6 make up an impressive rear suspention unit with working coils springs. I have a few Sunstar RMs and have made the ‘sister’ RML from Revell and this final model will complement all of them. I’m a Londoner from the generation that saw the RM enter and then leave Londons service, so this model suits me and it was probably chosen for its appeal further than these shores. I wonder how many of the ‘howlers’ pay more than £34 per month for their smartphone/broadband deal? how many pay more than £34 to watch a load of overpaid numpties kick a ball around on Sky sports?? costs are relative and my rational was that spreading the cost over the period of the offer was fine. I would not be able to afford a one off cost of over £1,000 for a finished model, so this subscription method suits me. If you think it is overpriced, a rip off or a waste of time well thats fine.

Thanks for that Brian. You’ve saved me a lot of typing to say the same thing. It would be good to have somewhere to ridicule people who spend more than this every month to kill themselves with fags.But even if there was, most of us wouldn’t be so rude as to comment. Each to their own. If you think it’s too expensive, don’t buy it.

I am a quarter of the way through building this model.It is going to be absolutely superb when finished. As an indication of the quality the metal sub-frames alone weigh around 2 kilograms and the finish on the pre-painted components so far received is incredible. As to the price another supplier has a model of Lewis Hamilton’s Championship winning Maclaren racing car in kit form on offer at £700. I am reliably informed that Maclaren will gladly supply you with the completed model for around £3000.

to all those moaning about the cost and time to build this model, nobody is making you do this. if you do not want to do it, don’t. the people who do want to do this, do it for the enjoyment of building a quality model. the cost works out at £8.99 per week. most of you moaners would spend 4 or 5 times that on a single night out and have nothing to show for it.

I’ve signed up. I don’t drink, don’t smoke or have a mortgage or a car loan, or a credit card. I’m doing it because it’s a great model and I don’t give a damn! how much it costs in the end. All the above other vices cost way way more than the bus in total, so there ya go.

It looks great and very realistic and a lovely size. but I must say I am very disappointed with issue 4 the kick plates on the stairs look so unrealistic because of the massive screws it has probably spoilt the whole project I ended up gluing the plates to the steps the using tiny pins to cover the holes . But as i used to drive these buses I am going to complete the project

Been religiously buying. And again for £8.99 have another disc brake with no extra’s so that means next week another £8.99 wheel!! Surely they can reward us with our perseverance with something extra? I’m not rich but do have a passion. Please stop ripping your loyal followers off.

In reply to Brian Burgess of how wonderful the solid metal bonnet and inspection flap is I think you will find that most of the front assembly on the 1/1 scale model was plastic. Also the suspension unit he mentions is for the independent sprung front sub frame.

my dad is building this bus and he asked the website a question, and he waited and waited for a reply, he give up in the end, hes already made models like this, revel kits,hes thinking if using the parts now to build a FRM model instead ,as the company don’t seem interested in sending the back ordered parts that they have been asked to do.

Yep, same as me. I gave it up as I can no longer find the relevant issues. You’re thinking about SunStar models. Just bought one. One-twenty-fourth scale for 150 quid. Definitely not exquisite, but detailed. It’s mostly made of metal, but looks a bit practically too

This model is the best model I’ve ever built to date I’ve also got the recall version can’t build that one as some of the parts are missing from the box and recall no longer exist so I can’t order the parts i need Danny it and I can’t get hold of the paint for it as most model shops have closed down in London does any one have any suggestions !!!!!!??????…..

Don’t bother trying to get back issues for this model, as my dad has been waiting for issues 3 and 4 for sometime now and he was told he would have take out a subcribation to the part works company,and even then he would not be able to get the back issues, it just not worth the money having to pay 35 pounds for issues that would start from issue 24! buy a sun star at least it will cost less.

It turns out that there was a printing error in one of those parts. He should have received them last week. Though I think Hachette could have handled it better by sending out the pack containing the misprint with a corrected version following on later (it did not affect the assembly).

the part works people are not senting the back issues,s my dad found out when he asked them when he was going to get his back ordered issues , they will tell you to place a order for the model with the part works company which will cost you 35 pounds and then you have to ask for the back issues at even more cost, I would say try ebay as there is some people selling their issues of the part works on there ,

im at issue 22 of the routemaster bus very proud to be building thisand all parts are very well made and im not turning my back on this one no matter what the cost is can not wait to see what it will look like when built

Thanks:)) my father in law only subscribed recently and has received up to 14 with full working parts but he hasn’t received the next four as apparently there’s been reprint issues with number 16 and 18:/ I rung up but they can’t seem to give me a date as to when they will arrive? Issues 19 to 22 are due to come to him the 13th of July but he can’t start building anymore until he receives 15-18:/ So frustrating for him, he did however receive the reprinted issue of 16 but no parts for it and still hasn’t even received the wrongly printed version?! I signed him up to it so I feel responsible for the outcome, the money keeps going out the bank but nothing to show for it since April/may time

It seems that a lot of people on here are moaning and groaning about the cost, well if you don’t like the price don’t buy it but please don’t insult those that are buying it and enjoy building models because there are those who like myself, don’t smoke don’t drink tele not worth the licence and disabled so doing things like this gives us some independance and something to look forward to as I have mine delivered. O’k it sounds costly but £8.99 a week you hardly miss for a bit of enjoyment I think is worth it rather than £12 a month watching mamby pambies faking injuries after running up and down after a ball for thousands of pounds, now that’s a waste but everyone to their own enjoyment and past time. I think it’s a great size, 27.5 inches long 7.9 inches wide 14.3 inches high

no one about is moaning about the cost, what they are talking about is the fact that they are waiting months for issues that don’t turn up,and the fact the part works company DON’t want you to go through the newsagents but only through them , my father is disabled, and would love to be able to run about , and he has made a lot of models, and he really wants to build this model but how can you build the buse when issues are missing, and even when they are back ordered the company WON’t sent the issues unless you sign up with them! my dad would not mind paying the cost of this buse model,but if parts are missing then there would be no point in building the model, if it was possible to post pictures of here I would post pictures of some of the buses my dad has made, and these are models that you can not just buy in a shop, I do hope that some of these buse get build but given the fact that the part works company will not sent the back orders than I can not see many of these models being made.

my dad got the next issue today ,and was told that the newsagent had again asked when the back issues were going to be sent, the newsagent was told by the part works company that they were not senting the back ordered issues, he was not happy, the part works company just wants to have people ordering the buse model with them and no body else!

I’ve gone through the subscription route starting with issue 1. Just received issues 23-26 together with the LT Roundel. The only problem I’ve had so far is the failure to deliver issues 7-10 on time. I asked what had happened and was sent a replacement set and then the original turned up as well – lucky because it was the despatch with the free binder. And they said I could keep both. Issue 16 had a misprint and that was replaced with a new one is despatch 19 to 22. OK – I have to wait a month to do it rather than weekly but so far so good. Looks quite good too.

just wait until you have to ask for back orders, my dad is still is waiting on just two back ordered issues, and the part works company won’t send them unless he drops the subscripton with the newsagent and gos with them for the subscripton for the model, and his newsagents there was 5 people ordering this model now two have given up ever getting the back ordered issues,

Just finished issue 30, no problems. Read instructions, lay out parts, methodically assemble, sit back and enjoy…….one hell of a rolling chassis now! (OK, fuel pipes a pain I admit, but got there in the end)

I had a problem with the tiny pipes in 29 – they snapped – but my wife came up with a solution using stiffened black thread which worked a treat.Some of the push-fit connections need a tiny spot of glue to hold them permanently but it is coming on. Now waiting for 31-34 and my dinky toy bus.

my dad when to get his next issue (still waiting for the back orders) now hes found out that they have not sent the issues out!and they were aske more than a few times why they have not sent any out. the don’t get a reply, this lot should get a visit from the trading standards people.then maybe they will treat people better.

my dads now given up trying to get the back issues, which now comes to four issues now missing, so if any one wants some parts, my dads going the put them on gumtree, he says its a waste of time and money if the part works company can not be bothered to send the back orders unless you go with them.

Is any one having trouble with deliveries I received issues 19 to 22 waited a month for the next 4 only to receive 27 to 30. Am now missing 23 to 26. Have sent email a week ago and have had no response

Try going through the chat feature on the main website http://www.buildtheroutemaster.com/ which seems to operate during working hours. I’ve had two very helpful chats. I had a problem with issue 32 – one of the pieces broke – so I had a chat and they sent me a replacement issue F.O.C.

you won’t get any response from the art works company, they want you to order the back issues from them, I dad has been waiting ages for back ordered issues 3 and 4 , hes never got them and worse still they have said they don’t send out the back orders unless you reorder the model from them. try finding the missing issues on ebay as a lot of people are selling them n them.

they will still want you to take up a subscription from the point the last issue, and they will NOT send back issues to the newsagents, you will get told the same thing on their chat system and their email.

The impression of the model looks nice. However I was told there was going to be 100 issues at £1.99 first issue, then £4.99 from 2nd issue till 100th issue. I was mislead by this after getting 1st issue only to be told that £4.99 ONLY for 2nd issue, then £8.99 from 3rd issue onwards, plus also mislead then being told for 130 issues (not 100). The 1st & 2nd issues had good parts, but very few parts from 3rd issue onwards to make long winded.